In branch wiring of electrical circuits, it is common to electrically interconnect two or more wires. Individual wires may be bent about a screw type conductive stud, with the stud tightened about the wires. Other electrical connectors employed in the past have included "spring" type connectors in which the exposed ends of the wires are twisted together and inserted into a common cavity within an insulating body. A spring or coil is mounted within the common cavity and secures the twisted ends of the wires within the connector and ensures common electrical interconnection between the wires.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,171, issued to Hulbrechtse, is an example of a "push-in" type connector incorporated into an electrical outlet. The push-in connector includes individual passageways for insertion of the exposed end of a wire. An electrically conductive beam member is mounted within the passageway for sliding contact with the wire within the passageway. As the wire encounters the beam member, the beam member is deflected at one end away from the longitudinal axis of the passageway and is resiliently urged into electrical contact with the wire. Although push-in connectors are faster and easier to use than "spring" type connectors, they are substantially more expensive to construct and, therefore, their use has been limited.